Category Archives: News

American River College has about 1300 veterans attending its campus and is one of the largest veteran populations in the state within community colleges and universities. The Veterans Affairs center is the only school in the district to offer Wrap around services for its veteran students, according to Daniel Avegalio Student Services Supervisor at Veterans Resource Center.

“They created my position recently back in October as a supervisor to oversee the program because the need was there based off of our numbers,” said Avegalio.

In 2014 The Chancellor’s Student Success Award was given to the American River college Veterans Resource Center for it’s one a one-stop service center for student veterans, originally reported in an article in the Sacramento Bee by Loretta Kalb.

The Veterans Affairs Center on campus offers students help with issues such as Veterans Benefits, the registration and application process at American River College, counseling, and other issues as well.

The Veterans Affairs Center center contains their very own computer lab where Veterans can go to do homework and study in, as well as print for free at the lab. There are eight computers available. “A lot of vets come in they feel at home because it’s a space for them,” said Avegalio.

They are fully staffed with student help who are VA work study students. They are all veterans, or family members of veterans, who are receiving Veterans benefits in some way themselves and understand the process of receiving those benefits, according to Avegalio.

Student Personnel Assistant, Robert Heryford has recently been hired and explained that his own experience transferring to Sac State can help American River College students who are transferring because he understands their situation.

Heryford understands how hard it is to transition back to civilian life and going to school.

“It’s a whole other ballgame when you’re coming back from working in that type of field and your back sitting in a classroom,” said Heryford.

The services offered at the American River College Veterans Affairs Center has helped ARC Student Honglu Johnson with getting classes and figuring out what to take as well as getting her military benefits.

“It’s a Nightmare getting Your benefits and your benefit packets they did all that for me, said Johnson “They’re super organized about it,” said Honglu.

The Veterans Affairs center moved to a larger space as recently as last Fall Semester. “Other schools in the district have Veteran Resource Centers but its very small closet like, said Avegalio.

The hard work of the American River College Theatre Program students just got some major recognition for their work.

The American College theater program and their production of “Cabaret” has been chosen to be a part of the national Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Denver where they will perform their production of “Cabaret.”

“In sports it would be higher than winning a state championship because it is regional,” said “Cabaret” director and American river College Theater professor Nancy Silva.

For the American River College Theatre Program to travel to Denver to perform it will cost the department 54,ooo dollars, according an ARC Theater Department press release.

They were chosen from region seven, from the national festival that features eight regions total around the US. The festival is suppose to “encourage and reward excellence in academic theater,”said Silva.

American River College won at festival 18 years ago with the play Equus directed by Theater Professor Pamela Downs. Siva herself has been runner up twice with the plays Keely and Du and Sweeney Todd.

American River College was chosen as one of three colleges out of 200 a part of region seven that included Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Northern California, Northern Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, with other community colleges as well as Universities.

“Its excruciatingly timely,” said Silva, “we are presenting the dangers of having a demagogue take over your county.”

There were two separate events this month to showcase the student’s work and to promote the opportunity to donors.

The “Cabaret Gala” which showed the ARC theater production “Cabaret” for American River College students and other audience members.

“An Evening of Scenes” where acting candidates nominated by the Kennedy Center showcased their 6-minute competition packages that range from drama all the way too comedy.

Jordo Medina who is about to graduate from American River College this spring looks at the festival as finishing out the semester with a bang.

“As an actor it’s the best trophy you can get to hear your show is going to compete in regionals,” said Medina “when we got the news everyone was in tears nobody knew how to react we just never expected this.”

Another student who plays a Kit Kat girl in the production of “Cabaret”, Jazz Sunpanich has been going to American River College ever since she traveled here from her home country of Thailand to study theater. “We are doing it for love and we love doing this thats why we doing this,” said Sunpanich.

At the festival there will be 16 regional and two national scholarships from the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. A judicator comes from a different college or university and offers opinions on each show and chooses actors in the production that stand out for them to be a nominee. who then go out to compete for their region.

Two students nominated this year for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship are Angelina Steshenko and Micah Smith. “Both on and off the stage you represent your college,” said Smith.

“It’s also an honor just that a complete stranger came and saw your show and that they liked you performance, that you stood out for them,” Said Steshenko.

September 29, 2016 – Nashville based Rock N Roll band The Soul Shakers, have released a music video for their debut single “Here to Have a Good Time” . The video, which originally premiered with Revolver Magazine, comes from the band’s upcoming full length LP. Here to Have a Good Time is available for purchase now online.

“Here to Have a Good Time” is our definition of straight up rock n’ roll and a short story of where we come from and how we met. We hope this song makes you want to get up, shake what you got, grab a shot and have a good time. – The Soul Shakers

About The Soul Shakers:

When Elias Paul Reidy (formerly of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus) and Brett Hellings formed The Soul Shakers after a chance meeting outside of a club on the Sunset Strip, they had one single goal in mind – to bring good ole-fashioned, ass-shaking rock ‘n’ roll back into the forefront.

After two years of writing in Los Angeles and then a move to Nashville, Hellingsand Reidy were ready to lay down the tracks for their forthcoming full length LP. The two flew to Philadelphia to record at Soundmine Recording Studios with producer Dan Malsch (Motionless in White, Tantric, Framing Hanley), featuring Chuck Treece from Bad Brains on drums. The result is a culmination of the diverse lives they’ve led and experiences they’ve had along the way.

The Soul Shakers are one of those bands that seemingly have come out of nowhere. In an age, where the lines of music are blurred and everything is automatically defined by genre/sub-genre, comparison or cornered into a media-contrived box, make no mistake – The Souls Shakers personify what true Rock ‘N’ Roll is. Their repertoire and live shows are guaranteed to shake your very soul and strike a nerve, regardless of your musical tastes.

The band chose the track “Here To Have A Good Time” as their debut video, which was shot in and about their old Los Angeles stomping grounds with director Shane Drake (The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Taylor Swift, Panic! At the Disco) and is set to debut September 28, 2016 on Revolver.com.

BAND PERFORMANCE TIMES AND ADDITIONAL ONSITE EXPERIENCES ANNOUNCED FOR OCTOBER 22 & 23 FESTIVAL

AT DISCOVERY PARK IN SACRAMENTO

Band performance times, food and beverage options, and additional onsite experiences have been announced for the fifth annual Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK on Saturday,October 22 & Sunday, October 23 at Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA.

Led by iconic bands Tool (in a rare U.S. festival appearance) and Avenged Sevenfold, Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK boasts a lineup of 35 bands on three stages, including Slayer, Korn, Primus,Disturbed and many more. California’s biggest rock festival also features the return of The Jack Daniel’s Experience, The Music Experience, the Juxtapoz MAKE YOUR MARK Graffiti Zone and more to engage fans with all aspects of the rock and roll culture.

A very limited number of single-day Saturday tickets for Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK (previously sold out) have just been released. Weekend General Admission and single-day Saturday and Sunday tickets are available at current prices through October 16 or while supplies last at www.AFTERSHOCKConcert.com. Non-service fee tickets are also available at Dimple Records locations throughout the Sacramento area. VIP and hotel packages for Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK are now sold out.

The current Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK performance times (subject to change) are as follows:

Saturday, October 22

Monster Energy Stage

Discovery Stage

8:20 PM

Tool

7:15 PM

Slayer

6:20 PM

Primus

5:30 PM

Meshuggah

4:45 PM

The Pretty Reckless

3:50 PM

Anthrax

3:10 PM

Baroness

2:35 PM

Motionless In White

2:00 PM

Avatar

1:25 PM

letlive.

12:50 PM

Whores.

12:20 PM

Big Jesus

11:45 AM

American Sharks

Capital Stage

4:45 PM

Deafheaven

3:40 PM

Face To Face

2:35 PM

Drakulas

1:35 PM

The Shrine

12:20 PM

Aeges

11:15 AM

Death Angel

Sunday, October 23

Monster Energy Stage

Discovery Stage

7:40 PM

Avenged Sevenfold

6:35 PM

Korn

5:30 PM

Disturbed

4:35 PM

Puscifer

3:45 PM

Chevelle

3:05 PM

Ghost

2:30 PM

Parkway Drive

1:55 PM

The Amity Affliction

1:20 PM

Silver Snakes

12:50 PM

Ignite

12:20 PM

The Mendenhall Experiment

Capital Stage

4:15 PM

Zakk Sabbath

2:55 PM

Max & Iggor Cavalera Return to Roots

1:50 PM

Suicide Silence

12:50 PM

Whitechapel

11:50 AM

Some Fear None

Doors open at 11:00 AM each day.

Here is a list of Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK festival experiences, including various food options, as well as nonprofit organizations with a presence at the festival:

Coors Light Sports Bar: Coors Light, World’s Most Refreshing Beer, is proud to sponsor the Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK festival. The Coors Light Sports Bar will be showing college football games on Saturday and NFL games on Sunday, courtesy of Coors Light and Sacramento’s KHTK Sports 1140 AM. Coors Light goes to great lengths to bring you the coldest, most refreshing beer. Please remember to drink responsibly.

Monster Energy Experience/Sampling: Monster Energy will be keeping all fans fueled up and ready to rock by offering free sampling on their Monster Energy viewing deck. Enjoy Monster Energy drinks from one of the best seats in the house. Make sure to check back throughout the festival for a schedule of Monster Energy’s interactive artist experiences.

Caduceus Wine Garden: This wine garden will highlight Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards, owned by Arizona resident Maynard James Keenan, co-founder of international recording acts TOOL, A Perfect Circle, and PUSCIFER. Having already dove headfirst into this venture, Maynard found out from a distant relative that wine making is in his blood. His Great Grandfather, “Spirito” Marzo, had vineyards and made wine in Venaus, Italy, just North of Turino in Piemonte.

The Music Experience: The Music Experience features all the elements that are involved in making music in a professional band setting. The interactive exhibit features guitars, basses, amps, drums, keyboards and electronic gear that are used by today’s most popular bands. The Music Experience has autograph signings and artist interactions throughout the day. Check Facebook and Instagram for the latest info on who will be hanging out at The Music Experience.

Jack Daniel’s Experience: “Taste of Tennessee” invites visitors to come out and tour the nation’s oldest registered distillery from outside the Jack Daniel’s Hollow. Visitors get to see (and smell) whiskey dripping slowly through charcoal and the new oak barrels used in maturing Tennessee’s finest whiskey. The Jack Daniel’s Experience is open to all fans, 21 years old and up, for tours free of charge. Stop by the Jack Daniel’s Experience for interactive engagements throughout the weekend. Whiskies available at the Jack Daniel’s Experience include Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, Tennessee Fire, Tennessee Honey, Gentleman Jack, and Single Barrel.

Juxtapoz MAKE YOUR MARK presented by Hellrzzr & Montana: This interactive graffiti art installation will showcase multiple live demonstrations and will allow AFTERSHOCK artists and fans the chance to add to the exhibit.

Keep Golf Metal: Keep Golf Metal is a movement that encourages festival attendees to play a 9 hole putt putt course with PGA level golf clubs provided by Rife Putters and MasterFit Custom Golf Clubs. Keep Golf Metal also has apparel that features designs that fuse the rock and golf worlds together.

Dyin 2 Live / Fxck Cancer: The F C Cancer Foundation’s mission is to fight cancer by raising awareness and to educate about early cancer detection, ultimately putting an end to late stage cancer diagnosis. The Dyin 2 Live wish granting program looks to enrich the lives of those fighting cancer by offering them an experience that will bring joy, hope, inspiration, and courage into their lives. In doing this, the program hopes it can help give the cancer fighter a chance to forget, even if it’s only for a day, what they are battling. The hope is that it can be used as a source of inspiration to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour.

Take Me Home Animal Rescue: Take Me Home is a not for profit, volunteer based foundation that has been saving the lives of homeless animals since 2001. Many families living in low-income areas cannot afford medical care, basic vaccinations, or spay/neuter surgeries for their companion animals. The donations raised help us to fund mobile veterinary hospitals to travel into these under-served areas to provide free spay and neuter, vaccinations, microchipping and administer medical care for animals in desperate need. Take Me Home also supports local animal charities. Come by the booth to help out our furry friends by buying a shirt, signed merchandise, and entering a raffle. Danny Wimmer, Founder, DWP, said, “DWP is proud to support various charities, giving them a national platform to promote their messages. We are particularly fond of Take Me Home, which advocates for animal adoption. I hope everyone stops by their booth and supports their fundraising efforts to help animals in need.” For more information, please visit:www.takemehome.tv.

Life Looks Good On You: Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK has partnered with Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks for the Life Looks Good On You life jacket water safety campaign. Danny Wimmer Presents is pledging support with Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK alumni and DWP friends to create awareness for the Life Looks Good On You campaign. So far, music artists that have joined the efforts include Sacramento’s own Deftones, Rob Zombie, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach, Pop Evil, and Avatar. Photos of band members wearing life jackets will be part of a social media campaign designed to encourage people to safely participate in water activities by sharing photos of themselves and friends wearing life jackets.

LTD (Living The Dream) Foundation: A portion of all Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK ticket fees will be donated to Living the Dream. LTD Foundation bridges the music industry together with fans who are fighting terminal illnesses by giving them All Access VIP experiences backstage with their favorite bands and artists.

The most convenient way to get to Discovery Park for Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK this year is to use the Park & Ride program. Each Park & Ride ticket includes parking for one vehicle at Sleep Train Arena and a non-stop shuttle directly to the festival site for all passengers. Single day and weekend Park & Ride passes can be purchased at http://aftershockconcert.com/parking-shuttles/.

Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, a producer of some of the biggest rock festivals in America, including Rock On The Range, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville, Monster Energy Fort Rock, Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion, LOUDER THAN LIFE, Northern Invasion, Monster Energy Rock Allegiance, Chicago Open Air, and more.

SACRAMENTO’S DISCOVERY PARK OCTOBER 22 & 23

TICKETS ON SALE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8

An awe-inspiring, momentous music lineup led by iconic bands Tool (in a rare U.S. festival appearance) and Avenged Sevenfold has been unveiled for the fifth annual Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK, which returns to Sacramento, California’sDiscovery ParkSaturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23.

California’s biggest rock festival will feature over 35 bands on three stages at Discovery Park, conveniently located near downtown Sacramento, where the American and Sacramento Rivers meet. The current daily music lineup for Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK is as follows:

“We’re excited to give fans a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Primus, Slayer, Korn,Disturbed and the rest of this great lineup all together during this special weekend. Discovery Park is such a unique venue that allows us to put on an experience on a grand scale, but in an intimate setting that sets AFTERSHOCK apart,” saysMonster Energy AFTERSHOCK founder and producer Danny Wimmer of Danny Wimmer Presents.

Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 8 at Noon PT at www.AFTERSHOCKConcert.com. Tickets are limited and will go fast. Fans are encouraged to buy early so they don’t miss out on the chance to see so many iconic rock bands at one American festival. See below for details.

In 2015, a sold-out crowd of 45,000 was in attendance at Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK to experience the best hard rock, metal and alternative artists, along with gourmet food trucks and extensive onsite experiences. Loudwire.com called the festival “one of the nation’s premier music events.” Elsewhere, Johnny Firecloud of CraveOnline.com noted, “…Aftershock has found a new thread, and the way they’re approaching the festival ecosystem may just defibrillate the soul of rock fests in America. They’re mixing vibrant alt rock colors into what was typically a monolithic skull-and-crossbones metal template of black on black, side-stepping the big-box corporate model and building peripheral excitement through on-site activities, enhanced Gourmet Man Food attractions and more” (February 18, 2016).

Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 8 at Noon PT at www.AFTERSHOCKConcert.com. Tickets and VIP packages will initially be priced as follows (increasing in the coming weeks):

Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK is also offering a Park & Ride shuttle program this year, since parking at Discovery Park is extremely limited. Each Park & Ride ticket includes parking for your vehicle at Sleep Train Arena and a non-stop shuttle directly to the festival site. Festivalgoers are encouraged to carpool to Sleep Train Arena and save. For pricing and more details, visit www.AFTERSHOCKConcert.com.

Here’s a preliminary lists of onsite experiences and nonprofit organizations with a presence at Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK:

Monster Energy Experience/Sampling:

Monster Energy will be keeping all fans fueled up and ready to rock by offering free sampling on their Monster Energy viewing deck. Enjoy Monster Energy drinks from one of the best seats in the house. Make sure to check back throughout the festival for a schedule of Monster Energy’s interactive artist experiences.Facebook: facebook.com/monsterenergy
#monsterenergy #monstermusic

Jack Daniel’s Experience:

“Taste of Tennessee” invites visitors to come out and tour the nation’s oldest registered distillery from outside the Jack Daniel’s Hollow. Visitors get to see (and smell) whiskey dripping slowly through charcoal and the new oak barrels used in maturing Tennessee’s finest whiskey. The Jack Daniel’s Experience is open to all fans, 21 years old and up, for tours free of charge. Stop by the Jack Daniel’s Experience for interactive engagements throughout the weekend.Facebook: facebook.com/jackdaniels
Instagram: @jackdaniels_us
#jackdaniels #BornToMakeWhiskey

The Music Experience:

The Music Experience features all the elements that are involved in making music in a professional band setting. The interactive exhibit features guitars, basses, amps, drums, keyboards and electronic gear that are used by today’s most popular bands. The Music Experience has autograph signings and artist interactions throughout the day. Check Facebook and Instagram for the latest info on who will be hanging out at The Music Experience.Facebook: facebook.com/themusicexp
Instagram: @tmexp

Dyin 2 Live / Fxck Cancer:

The F C Cancer Foundation’s mission is to fight cancer by raising awareness and to educate about early cancer detection, ultimately putting an end to late stage cancer diagnosis. The Dyin 2 Live wish granting program looks to enrich the lives of those fighting cancer by offering them an experience that will bring joy, hope, inspiration, and courage into their lives. In doing this, the program hopes it can help give the cancer fighter a chance to forget, even if it’s only for a day, what they are battling. The hope is that it can be used as a source of inspiration to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour.www.FxckCancer.orgwww.makingdreamshappen.orgwww.Dyin2Live.org
Facebook: facebook.com/Dyin2LiveDREAMS or facebook.com/FxckCancerUSA
Instagram: @FxckCancer and @Dyin2LiveDreams

Coors Light Sports Bar:

Coors Light, World’s Most Refreshing Beer, is proud to sponsor the Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK Festival. The Coors Light Sports Bar will be showing college football games on Saturday and NFL games on Sunday, courtesy of Coors Light and Sacramento’s KHTK Sports 1140 AM. Coors Light goes to great lengths to bring you the coldest, most refreshing beer. Please remember to drink responsibly.

Keep Golf Metal:

Keep Golf Metal is a movement that encourages festival attendees to play a 9 hole putt putt course with PGA level golf clubs provided by Rife Putters and MasterFit Custom Golf Clubs. Keep Golf Metal also has apparel that features designs that fuse the rock and golf worlds together.

MAKE YOUR MARK Graffiti Zone:

This interactive graffiti art installation will showcase multiple live demonstrations and will allow AFTERSHOCK artists and fans the chance to add to the exhibit.

Take Me Home Animal Rescue:

Take Me Home is a not for profit, volunteer based foundation that has been saving the lives of homeless animals since 2001. Many families living in low-income areas cannot afford medical care, basic vaccinations, or spay/neuter surgeries for their companion animals. The donations raised help us to fund mobile veterinary hospitals to travel into these under-served areas to provide free spay and neuter, vaccinations, microchipping and administer medical care for animals in desperate need. Take Me Home also supports local animal charities. Come by the booth to help out our furry friends by buying a shirt, signed merchandise, and entering a raffle. Danny Wimmer, Founder, DWP, said, “DWP is proud to support various charities, giving them a national platform to promote their messages. We are particularly fond of Take Me Home, which advocates for animal adoption. I hope everyone stops by their booth and supports their fundraising efforts to help animals in need.” For more information, please visit: http://www.takemehome.tv.Facebook: facebook.com/TakeMeHomeRescue
Instagram: @TakeMeHomeRescue
Twitter: @TMHRescue

Life Looks Good On You:

Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK Festival has partnered with Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks for the Life Looks Good On You life jacket water safety campaign. Danny Wimmer Presents is pledging support with Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK alumni and DWP friends to create awareness for the Life Looks Good On You campaign. So far, music artists that have joined the efforts include Sacramento’s own Deftones, Rob Zombie, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach, Pop Evil, and Avatar. Photos of band members wearing life jackets will be part of a social media campaign designed to encourage people to safely participate in water activities by sharing photos of themselves and friends wearing life jackets.www.lifelooksgoodonyou.org
#sacrivers

LTD (Living The Dream) Foundation:

A portion of all Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK ticket fees will be donated to Living the Dream. LTD Foundation bridges the music industry together with fans who are fighting terminal illnesses by giving them All Access VIP experiences backstage with their favorite bands and artists.www.ltdfoundation.org

Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, a producer of some of the biggest rock festivals in America, including Rock On The Range, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville, Monster Energy Fort Rock, Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion, LOUDER THAN LIFE, Northern Invasion, Monster Energy Rock Allegiance, Chicago Open Air, Houston Open Air, and more.

Cadabra Records presents H. P. LOVECRAFT‘s Hallowe’en In A Suburb And Others, as a limited edition 7″ title, set for release this April as part of the label’s ongoing series in homage to the author.

The poem Hallowe’en In A Suburb is a classic, staple title by H. P. LOVECRAFT, and has been frequently reprinted over the years since its initial publication in 1926. Here, the rhyme is joined by several other tales including The Cats, The Garden, Festival, Astrophobos, Despair, and The Messenger.

As with the other titles in the ongoing Cadabra series, these seven poems are here read by Andrew Leman, who is known as a co-founder of the H. P. LOVECRAFT Historical Society, as well as a professional actor with years of stage, screen, and audio performances including The Call of Cthulhu, The Whisperer in Darkness, and Dark Adventure Radio Theatre. Leman’s voice captures the terror, dread, suspense and madness that permeates LOVECRAFT‘s writing, and is here appropriately paired with sound by Josh Coy of Teratoma Sound Lab, the release bound in cover artwork by Sam Heimer.

Spoken arts label, Cadabra Records, will release Hallowe’en In A Suburb And Others on April 29th as a limited 7″ title, which is currently being pressed on clear vinyl, in an edition of 150 copies. The cover will be hand-screened in silver ink on a fold-over cover, printed on French paper, and includes an insert. Preorders will be posted on March 24th.

Cadabra Records’ ongoing H. P. LOVECRAFT series recently began with the release of the maiden title in the series, The Hound&The Music Of Erich Zann, released onLP in February. Upon its release, the label announced New York-based dark ambient/industrial outfit Theologian has been chosen as the label’s “house band” for all upcoming titles, including the absolutely terrifying, The Lurking Fear, the next title in the series, to be followed by Pickman’s Model and other titles soon to be announced.

vocals and guitar licks to venues across the country beginning April 14 when he performs for audiences with a set list that includes cuts from his folk-tinged album, Down In A Hole, set for release this summer.

Sutherland, known for his starring role on the Fox series “24,” will bring his debut tour as a musician to 26 venues across the country beginning April 14. More dates will be added.

A professional actor his entire adult life, Sutherland starred in movies like ‘Stand By Me’, ‘The Lost Boys’, ‘Young Guns’, Flatliners’, ‘A Few Good Men’, ‘A Time to Kill’, ‘Dark City’, ‘Melancholia’ and most recently, a western called ‘Forsaken’ and the upcoming ABC series “Designated Survivor.”

Unknown to many during the course of his career, he has taken on other vocations with the same kind of dedication and commitment. In 2002, Sutherland, with his music partner and best friend Jude Cole, began a small record label called Ironworks. The goal of this label was to record local musicians and distribute their music at a time when the music industry was going through a monumental shift. Some of their artists included Rocco DeLuca and the Burden, HoneyHoney and Billy Boy On Poison. In 2009, Sutherland left the label to recharge and figure out what he was going to do next.

In early 2015 Sutherland played Cole two songs he had written and wanted to record as demos for other artists to record. Cole responded positively to the songs and the album grew organically from those recordings. Two songs became four and four grew into six, until Cole suggested that they make a record. Their collaboration resulted in Sutherland’s upcoming debut album: Down In A Hole.

“It’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a journal or diary. All of these songs are pulled from my own personal experiences. There is something very satisfying about being able to look back on my own life, good times and bad, and express those sentiments in music. As much as I have enjoyed the writing and recording process, I am experiencing great joy now being able to play these songs to a live audience, which was something I hadn’t counted on,” Sutherland said of the 11-track album. A track listing and release date will be announced soon.

Stay social with Kiefer Sutherland by following him on Twitter and Facebook.

The bands, “Cage The Elephant,” “Foals,” and “Bear Hands” will be joining forces for their US tour titled “Spring Fling Tour” on March 11. They will be heading through the US starting in California, beginning with Fresno, Sacramento, and finishing off their sets in “The Golden State” in the city of Bakersfield, and then continuing on their tour through the nation.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Approximately 30,000 music fans descended on the Bridge District this past weekend to attend Sacramento’s second annual TBD festival, filling the air with marijuana smoke and Selfie Sticks.

A quick scan of the crowd made it apparent that a majority planned to document the event via constant, blurry cell phone pictures.

A handful of photographers at the event, however, were there to do a job, donning press passes and 15 pounds of gear which appeared to get heavier as the three nights wore on.

Yet many of them are unlikely to receive a paycheck for their work.

“As a concert photographer, I have yet to make any money on concert photography,” said Bryce Fraser, founder of Shiftsync Media, a Sacramento-based lifestyle blog.

A music photographer may be in a constant state of unpaid internship status, often working to convince clients that his or her work is of monetary value.

“When it’s something fun, like concerts or even a sports game, you’re expected to do it for the experience,” Fraser said.

Unfortunately, the cost of a professional grade camera and the various lenses one may need for different jobs quickly adds up, said Carlos Almanza, a photographer at XSiGHT Productions studio in Downtown Sacramento.

“Cost-wise, the gear runs for about $5,000 but I’m fortunate enough to have a studio that backs me and allows me to use the gear for free,” Almanza said.

Almanza, who studied video production and film at the Art Institute and boasts seven years of experience, still finds himself bartering his work for studio time for friends’ bands.

The problem, he said, lies in the misconception that professional-grade photography is as simple as aiming the camera and pressing a button.

“I would say that it takes a certain amount of skill to take a legitimately good photo,” Almanza said. “You need to know your light and composition, because it’s way more than just picking up a camera, saying ‘stand here,’ and pressing the shutter.”

It is difficult to draw a discernible line in the sand to separate those who are considered “real” photographers from those who are not, Fraser said. Some say it all depends on whether or not one earns a paycheck, while others say a degree or a varied portfolio is necessary.

“The line is definitely blurred,” Fraser said, “(but) having some knowledge of photography and what makes a good photo helps. It is an art form, but not many people treat it as one.”

Fraser recounts last year’s After Shock festival, where bands including Weezer, the Offspring and Awolnation took to the stage at Discovery Park in Sacramento.

Almost a dozen people in the photo pit — an area directly in front of the stage barricaded off from the rest of the crowd and only made available to those with press passes — used nothing but iPads and cell phones.

There is a level of professionalism that Fraser said is disappearing, which makes it harder to leverage one’s own abilities when discussing pay.

Despite the frustration of being expected to work for free, however, some photographers say passion will always be a driving force when deciding what projects to take on.

“One time, a band and I set out in the snow with a couch to take promotional photos in the snow,” said Allen Daniel, freelance photographer for 1906 Studios and Joyus, an online department store.

Though woefully unprepared in only a pair of skinny jeans and a windbreaker, Daniel laid in the snow to get the “perfect shot,” something he said he didn’t think twice about.

“It felt like my fingers were going to fall off and I couldn’t feel my feet,” Daniel said with a laugh, “but I definitely learned my lesson and it was blast creating those images for the band.”

No mater the project, the more creative the picture, the more work and expertise it likely took to make it happen, Daniel said.